Production of the fossil fuel dropped by a record amount in 2016, according to BP Plc’s annual review of global energy trends. China, the world’s biggest energy consumer, burned the least coal in six years and use dropped in the U.S to a level last seen in the 1970s, the company’s data show.
As global demand for and production of coal drops, U.S. President Donald Trump is seeking to revive the fossil fuel
Coal, the most polluting fuel that was once the world’s fastest growing energy source, has been a target of countries and companies alike as the world begins to work toward the goals of the Paris climate agreement. Consumption is falling as the world’s biggest energy companies promote cleaner-burning natural gas, China’s economy evolves to focus more on services than heavy manufacturing and renewable energy like wind and solar becomes cheaper.
“The fortunes of coal appear to have taken a decisive break from the past,” BP’s Chief Economist Spencer Dale said at a briefing in London on Tuesday, June 13, 2017. The most important outcome of this “is carbon emissions, which saw little or no growth for a third consecutive year.”
The shift away from coal in most of the world’s major economies comes as U.S. President Donald Trump is seeking to revive the fuel, having promised during his election campaign to restore lost jobs in mining areas such as West Virginia. Coal’s decline has been driven largely by competition from cheap shale gas, prompting skepticism that the country’s withdrawal from the Paris climate agreement will do much to halt the slide.
U.S. demand for coal fell by 33.4 million tons of oil equivalent last year to 358.4 million, the biggest decline in the world in absolute terms, BP data show.
Global consumption dropped 1.7 percent last year compared with an average 1.9 percent yearly increase from 2005 to 2015, according to BP. China, which accounted for about half of the coal burned in the world, used 1.6 percent less of the fuel, compared with an average 3.7 percent annual expansion in the 11 preceding years.
“At the heart of this shift are structural, long-term factors,” Dale said. These include “the increasing availability and competitiveness of natural gas and renewable energy, combined with mounting government and societal pressure to shift away from coal towards cleaner, lower-carbon fuels.”
Consumption of coal fell in every continent except Africa, the BP data show. Germany, Europe’s biggest user, consumed 4.3 percent less coal. U.K. demand fell 52.5 percent, the biggest percentage decline among the world’s major economies, according to BP’s data.
In Asia, China’s decline was partially offset by higher consumption in India and Indonesia, where the fuel is still so cheap and readily available that utilities prefer it over natural gas for electricity generation.
“Chinese hunger for energy is being tempered by moves to a more sustainable growth pathway and the rapid expansion of renewables, which spells even further trouble for coal in the years to come,” Jonathan Marshall, an analyst at the London-based Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit, said by email.
Global carbon emissions, which grew at an annual average rate of about 2.5 percent in the 10 years to 2013, remained stagnant in the past three years, Dale said. While some of this reflects weaker economic growth, the majority reflects faster declines in “the average amount of carbon emitted per unit of GDP,” he said.
Still, there needs to be a “significant fall” in emissions in order to meet the Paris climate goals, Dale said.
The world consumed 1.6 percent more oil last year, with India’s use expanding 7.8 percent, or 325,000 barrels a day, and China’s 3.3 percent, according to the data. Demand from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, a group of industrialised nations, grew 0.9 percent in 2016, compared with an average annual decline of 0.9 percent over the previous decade.
Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. was on Wednesday, June 14, 2017 named Special Advisor for States and Regions ahead of this year’s United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP23) by Fijian Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama – incoming president of COP23 – at a ceremony where Fiji became the latest government to join the Under2 Coalition.
Fijian Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama (siting) with California Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. (right), Oregon Governor Kate Brown (third right) and Washington Governor Jay Inslee (second right)
Oregon Governor Kate Brown and Washington Governor Jay Inslee – members of the Under2 Coalition and U.S. Climate Alliance – also attended the ceremony and announced that they too will attend the COP23 in Bonn, Germany to represent subnational jurisdictions committed to climate action.
“California is proud to partner with Fiji, an island nation that is experiencing firsthand the impacts of climate change and this year is the leader of the UN Conference of Parties,” said Governor Jerry Brown. “I look forward to taking the next step later this year with Governor Kate Brown and Governor Jay Inslee when we join Prime Minister Bainimarama in Bonn to show that states and regions will fulfill the Paris commitment.”
The Under2 Coalition is an international pact among cities, states and countries committed to limiting the increase in global average temperature to below 2 degrees Celsius – the level of potentially catastrophic consequences – by either reducing their greenhouse gas emissions from 80 percent to 95 percent below 1990 levels or holding emissions to less than two annual metric tons per capita by 2050.
With the addition of Fiji, the coalition now includes 176 jurisdictions on six continents collectively representing more than 36 countries, 1.2 billion people and $28.8 trillion GDP – equivalent to over 16 percent of the global population and over 39 percent of the global economy.
“As the incoming President of COP23, Fiji looks forward to working with this group of states and regions in the global effort to advance climate action at every level of society. This is true now more than ever following the Trump Administration’s announcement that the U.S. will be withdrawing from the Paris Agreement. This decision has redoubled our commitment to forge a Grand Coalition that includes all levels of government, businesses and civil society, to take climate action forward with the urgency it deserves,” said Prime Minister Bainimarama. “We look forward to Governor Brown’s help in mobilising like-minded leaders from around the world in support of our goal to achieve concrete outcomes at COP23.”
The coalition was formed in 2015 by the states of California and Baden-Württemberg, Germany to mobilise and galvanise bold climate action from like-minded city, state and regional governments around the globe in the lead up to COP 21.
While the majority of Under2 Coalition members represent subnational jurisdictions, with the addition Fiji, a total of 15 nations are part of the global pact, including Sweden, Mexico and Canada which joined in April and Denmark, which signed on earlier this month at a ceremony in Beijing. Eighteen U.S. jurisdictions have joined the coalition, representing nearly one-third of America’s population and GDP.
At Wednesday’s ceremony, Washington Governor Inslee and Oregon Governor Brown also announced that they would attend COP 23 as part of a delegation of U.S. governors that have joined the U.S. Climate Alliance, a partnership formed in response to the White House’s decision to withdraw from the Paris Accord.
The alliance now includes 13 U.S. states – led by both Democrats and Republicans – committed to achieving the U.S. goal of reducing emissions 26 to 28 percent from 2005 levels and meeting or exceeding the targets of the federal Clean Power Plan. The U.S. Climate Alliance complements the goals of the Under2 Coalition, which nine climate alliance members have also joined.
“The ‘America First’ doctrine should put our children first. Future generations will judge us not on the facts of global climate change, but what we’ve done to tackle it. Strengthening the commitment to combat climate change sends a strong message to our global allies. The Paris Agreement is a blueprint from job creation and prosperity, and despite the decision by the White House to retreat, I will continue to work with leaders on the West Coast, across the country, and around the world in pursuit of greenhouse gas reduction goals and working toward the development of a greener, cleaner energy mix of the future,” said Oregon Governor Kate Brown.
“The growing momentum for national and subnational collaboration gives me confidence about our ability to defeat climate change. This is an all-comers race against time, and I’m proud that Washington State is racing shoulder-to-shoulder with our West Coast neighbours, and our neighbors around the globe,” said U.S. Climate Alliance co-chair Governor Inslee.
California’s legislative leaders, Senate President pro Tempore Kevin de León and Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon, share a strong commitment to climate action and also joined today’s event.
“Here in California we have been leaders in developing the green economy that is proving that a healthy environment and good jobs can go hand in hand. We also recognise in California that climate change affects the quality of life and the public health in all our communities and in all countries around the world, so our climate actions must benefit all communities and all countries. Ignoring or denying climate change is beyond reckless,” said Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon.
“We stand united in our resolve to act on climate and build a clean energy future. And today we are sending a clear message to the rest of the world that if Washington won’t lead, we will,” said Senate Leader Kevin de León.
California’s Climate Leadership
The announcement comes on the heels of Governor Brown’s meeting last week with Germany’s top environmental official, Minister Barbara Hendricks in San Francisco and the Governor’s week-long California-China Climate Mission to strengthen California’s long-standing climate and clean energy ties with China. The Governor held bilateral meetings – including with President Xi Jinping and China’s Special Envoy on Climate Change – and signed new agreements with China’s national government through the Ministry of Science and Technology in Beijing and with the leaders of Sichuan and Jiangsu provinces.
While the federal government moves to withdraw the United States from the Paris Climate Agreement, California, the sixth-largest economy in the world, continues to advance its nation-leading climate goals while also growing its economy faster than the rest of the United States. In the past seven years, California has created 2.3 million new jobs, cut its unemployment rate in half, eliminated a $27 billion budget deficit and boosted its credit rating to the highest level in more than a decade.
In March, Governor Brown reaffirmed California’s commitment to exceed the targets of the Clean Power Plan and the state’s efforts to curb carbon pollution, which include establishing the most ambitious greenhouse gas emission reduction targets in North America and the nation’s toughest restrictions on destructive super pollutants. The Governor has also signed legislation that directs cap-and-trade funds to greenhouse gas reducing programs which benefit disadvantaged communities, support clean transportation and protect natural ecosystems.
This action builds on landmark legislation the Governor signed in October 2015 to generate half of the state’s electricity from renewable sources by 2030 and double the rate of energy efficiency savings in California buildings. Governor Brown has also committed to reducing today’s petroleum use in cars and trucks by up to 50 percent within the next 15 years; make heating fuels cleaner; and manage farm and rangelands, forests and wetlands so they can store carbon.
The Governor has also traveled to the United Nations’ 2015 Climate Conference (COP21) in Paris, the United Nations headquarters in New York, the Vatican and the Climate Summit of the Americas in Toronto, Canada to call on other leaders to join California in the fight against climate change. These efforts build on a number of other international climate change agreements with leaders from the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, Mexico, China, North America, Japan, Israel, Peru, Chile, Australia, Scotland, Sweden and Germany as well as Governor Brown’s efforts to gather hundreds of researchers and scientists around a groundbreaking call to action called the consensus statement, which translates key scientific climate findings from disparate fields into one unified document.
Sources say the impacts of climate change are already being felt in California and will disproportionately impact the state’s most vulnerable populations.
The Government of Austria on Monday, 12 June 2017, deposited its instrument of ratification, thereby becoming the 57th future Party to the Minamata Convention.
Alexander Van der Bellen President of Austria
This is coming a few days after the West African nation of Niger on Friday, June 9 ratified the global accord, and making it the 56th country to do so.
Hitherto, Finland on Thursday, June 1 endorsed the mercury treaty, making it the 55th Party. Prior to that, Slokavia on Wednesday, May 31 ratified the Convention.
The twin island nation of St Kitts and Nevis on Wednesday, May 24, 2017 had ratified the Convention, making it the 53rd Party to the global treaty.
The Minamata Convention has already entered into force, thanks to the landmark rash of ratifications on Thursday, May 18, 2017 that triggered the Convention on Mercury into force, having garnered the required 50 ratifications.
On that day, the EU and seven of its member States – Bulgaria, Denmark, Hungary, Malta, the Netherlands, Romania and Sweden – deposited their instruments of ratification at the UN Headquarters in New York, bringing to 51 that day the number of future Parties.
As a result, on August 16 2017, the Convention, which aims at protecting human health and the environment from anthropogenic emissions and releases of mercury and mercury compounds, will become legally binding for all its Parties.
The 1st Conference of the Parties to the Minamata Convention (COP1) will gather governments, intergovernmental and non-governmental organisations from around the world in Geneva from September 24 to 29, 2017.
The Minamata Convention is said to be the first new global Convention on environment and health adopted for close to a decade. It addresses the entire life cycle of mercury, considered by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as one of the top 10 chemicals of major health concern, which threatens the environment and health of millions.
Future Earth on Wednesday, June 14, 2017 announced Amy Luers as its new executive director. Dr. Luers has over 20 years experience working on sustainability at the intersection of science, technology and policy.
Amy Luers
Future Earth is an international initiative that empowers and supports a network of tens of thousands of researchers, innovators and professionals working together to accelerate a transition to a sustainable world.
According to Future Earth, Luers brings to the network “great breadth and depth of experience from civil society, government and the private sector. She will assume her position at Future Earth in September 2017.”
“Dr. Luers is a truly outstanding leader in environmental and sustainability science. She has the commitment, strategic vision and collaborative approach needed to take Future Earth to the next level,” said Gordon McBean and Jakob Rhyner, co-chairs of the Future Earth Governing Council. “She was part of Future Earth in its early days as a member of the interim Engagement Committee, and we are delighted to have her re-join the team as the new executive director.”
Dr. Luers is currently at Skoll Global Threats Fund where she directs the climate and water programmes. She has also worked as Assistant Director for Climate Resilience and Information at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) in the Obama administration and previously at Google as the Senior Environment Programme Manager.
Prior to Google, she led the climate programme at the Union of Concerned Sciences’ California office. Luers started her career in Latin America, as co-founder and the first executive director of Agua Para La Vida (Water for Life) working with rural communities to enhance access to potable water.
“I am thrilled and honoured to be given the opportunity to serve as the next executive director of Future Earth,” said Luers. “As the world confronts enormous sustainability challenges – in our cities, our public health, our oceans and ecosystems and in our climate – the Future Earth platform for research, innovation and collaboration is needed more than ever.”
A respected scientist and data innovator, Luers has been recognised as a PopTech Bellagio Fellow, a Switzer Environmental Fellow and a Heinz Environmental Scholar. She has advised the California state government, the White House and the United Nations.
She is a member of the U.S. Council on Foreign Relations and has served on committees of the U.S. National Academies of Sciences. Luers holds a Ph.D. in environmental science and an M.A. in international policy studies, both from Stanford University; she also earned a B.S. and M.S. in environmental systems engineering from Humboldt State University.
It was a mixture of joy and disappointment as elections into the 31 National Sports Federations were held Tuesday, June 13, 2017 at the National Stadium, Abuja.
Silas Agara, Deputy Governor of Nasarawa State and President of the Karate Federation of Nigeria
Some of the Federations had hitch-free elections, while others were mared with various complaints.
There were also some controversies leading to the suspension of the election into the boards of some Federations.
The Karate Federation of Nigeria was outstanding in the conduct of the polls, as Mr Silas Agara emerged as the President.
Agara, who is the Deputy Governor of Nasarawa State, promised to take Karate to greater heights.
“With some competent Nigerians coming in from various zones to serve, I will energise us to put in our best to ensure that we give a new lease of life into this Federation.
“I can assure the sports of this country that we shall hit the ground running and, certainly in the next few weeks, we would begin to implement our programmes, to ensure that we put Karate on the map,” he assured.
President of the Nigeria Scrabble Federation, Sulleiman Garuda Gora, who returned unopposed, told Sportswriters that his Federation would focus on developing and promoting Scrabble at the grassroots.
One of the re-elected Presidents, Senator Abdul Mingi of the Nigeria Hockley Federation, said the board would work towards repackaging the sport.
“In the next one or two years, we should be able to compete at the World Cup and Olympics, and then going down to the grassroots and try to bring awareness to the in-coming generation.”
While the conduct of the elections was described as peaceful in some Federations, it was a different story in the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Taekwondo Federation and few others.
The AFN election was characterised buy a lot of complaints and argument, in the process that saw Alhaji Ibrahim Sheu Gwuzo emerge as President.
As some were jubilating, others were complaining, calling for the cancelation of the entire elections.
Gwuzo, who was visibly happy having beaten his opponent Rosa Collins 48 to two votes, said his arms are open to all towards giving athletics a facelift.
However, an Appeal Committee was set up by the Sports Minister, Solomon Dalung, 24 hours before the elections to look into petitions and other complaints, arising from the elections.
Bhutan and Maldives have eliminated measles, a highly infectious disease that is a major childhood killer globally, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has said.
The two countries have become the first in WHO South-East Asia Region to be verified for having interrupted endemic measles virus transmission, ahead of the 2020 Regional target.
Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director of WHO, South-East Asia
“Bhutan and Maldives have demonstrated how a highly contagious virus like measles can be eliminated. WHO commends them for this momentous public health achievement,” Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director of WHO South-East Asia, said, announcing the findings and conclusions of the WHO South-East Asia Regional Verification Commission for Measles Elimination and Rubella control.
The Regional Director added, “The strongest political commitment, alongside the concerted efforts of health workers, officials and partners at all levels, has helped achieve this landmark success, which is a boost to the Region’s effort to eliminate measles and control rubella”.
Bhutan and Maldives launched their Expanded Programme on Immunisation in 1979 and 1976 respectively, and since then worked indefatigably to increase access to immunisation services.
“Both countries achieved and maintained high coverage of measles vaccination, despite geographical challenges. They also established strong laboratory-supported surveillance for measles, and have conducted detailed case investigation and tracking, right up to the very last case,” Dr Khetrapal Singh stated.
Maldives has not reported any case of indigenous measles since 2009, and Bhutan since 2012.
To fortify their progress, both countries have been carrying out mass vaccination campaigns with measles and rubella vaccine covering high-risk populations.
“While endemic measles virus transmission has been interrupted, both Bhutan and Maldives continue to be at risk of measles virus importation. Hence, both countries must continue efforts against measles and rubella and protect high-risk populations to effectively deal with any importations,” Dr Khetrapal Singh said.
Measles elimination and rubella control by 2020 has been one of WHO South-East Asia Region’s flagship priority programmes since Dr Khetrapal Singh became Regional Director in February 2014.
An estimated 620 000 measles deaths have been averted in 2016 alone following vaccination carried out by Member countries. Nearly 107 million children have been reached with an additional dose of measles vaccine through mass vaccination between 2013 and 2016.
All countries have introduced two doses of measles containing vaccine and have been making focused efforts and progress against measles and rubella. All countries are conducting case-based surveillance for measles and rubella, and Regional surveillance standards have been revised to meet elimination standards. The measles laboratory network has been expanded from 23 laboratories in 2013 to 39 WHO accredited laboratories in 2016.
“To meet the 2020 measles elimination and rubella control goals, all countries need to make greater efforts to increase measles vaccination coverage through childhood immunisation programmes, as nearly 4.7 million children remain unvaccinated against measles in the Region annually,” Dr Khetrapal Singh said.
The overarching goal of universal health coverage and the core Sustainable Development Goal theme of leaving no one behind provide new opportunities to further improve immunisation programmes, enhance access to new vaccines, and strengthen health systems to sustain the gains made so far, she said.
The measles elimination and rubella control strategy in WHO South-East Asia Region is based on four key approaches – achieving and maintaining at least 95% vaccination coverage with two doses of measles and rubella vaccine through routine and supplementary immunisation; developing and sustaining a sensitive case based surveillance that meets recommended performance indicators; developing and maintaining an accredited measles and rubella laboratory network; and strengthening support and linkages for these strategies.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has recommended “in-danger” status for Mexico’s World Heritage-listed Islands and Protected Areas of the Gulf of California, after a mission confirmed the vaquita – the smallest and most endangered species of porpoise – is at risk of imminent extinction.
The vaquita porpoise
This advice to the World Heritage Committee is included in a monitoring report released on Thursday, June 8, 2017 by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).
The vaquita is a rare species of porpoise endemic to the northern part of the Gulf of California. The word vaquita is Spanish for “little cow”. Porpoises are a group of fully aquatic marine mammals that are sometimes referred to as mereswine.
Despite ongoing efforts by Mexico, illegal gillnet fishing of totoaba, whose swim bladder is in high demand in Asia, is threatening the vaquita with imminent extinction, as the porpoise gets entangled in the illegal nets. An estimated 30 vaquitas only are left in the Islands and Protected Areas of the Gulf of California, the only place on Earth where they can be found.
Following a field mission jointly with UNESCO’s World Heritage Centre, IUCN recommends listing the site as ‘in danger’. A number of urgent measures are recommended, including a permanent ban on gillnets and international cooperation to halt illegal wildlife trade.
The List of World Heritage in Danger is designed to mobilise urgent action to tackle severe issues that can damage the outstanding values of World Heritage sites. Out of 238 sites listed for their natural values, 18 are currently listed as “in danger”.
IUCN’s advice is addressed to the World Heritage Committee, the governing body of the World Heritage Convention, which will meet at its annual meeting in Kraków, Poland from July 2 to 12. IUCN is the advisory body on nature under the Convention and the Committee takes the final decisions.
For the 2017 meeting, IUCN has prepared recommendations together with UNESCO’s World Heritage Centre for 55 natural sites facing threats, and has evaluated 13 proposals to inscribe new sites on the World Heritage List, or extend and modify sites already listed.
UNESCO’s World Heritage Centre on June 8 released a final set of reports, following two dispatches on May 19 and June 2. In addition to the Islands and Protected Areas of the Gulf of California, natural sites featured in the reports issued include: Simien National Park in Ethiopia, the Rainforests of the Atsinanana in Madagascar, and the Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu in Peru – a mixed natural and cultural site.
The Environment Ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United Kingdom, and European Commissioners responsible for environment and climate, have reaffirmed their strong commitment to the swift and effective implementation of the Paris Climate Change Agreement.
The G7 Environment Ministers Meeting in Bologna, Italy
In a communique issued at the end of the G7 Environment Ministers Meeting in Bologna, Italy, on Monday, June 12, 2017, they said: “(The Paris Agreement) remains the global instrument for effectively and urgently tackling climate change and adapting to its effects. We welcome the continued support that the Paris Agreement has received from other countries and subnational and non-state actors around the world.”
The ministers and leading officials also said that the Paris Climate Change Agreement is irreversible and that its full integrity is key for the security and prosperity of the planet, societies and economies.
“Our actions will continue to be inspired and guided by the growing, global momentum to tackle climate change and to accelerate the irreversible transition to low-carbon, climate-resilient and resource-efficient economies,” they said.
In addition, the ministers and leading officials called for an increase in sustainable financing as a fundamental requirement to achieving the central goal of the Paris Climate Change Agreement – which is to limit the global average temperature rise to as close as possible to 1.5 degrees Celsius – and as a requirement to achieve the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.
“We (…) reaffirm the Copenhagen commitment of developed countries to the goal of jointly mobilising $100 billion annually by 2020 from public and private sources to support climate action in developing countries. We encourage all potential providers of finance to join in efforts in reaching and surpassing this goal,” they said.
A two-day international conference recently held in the Russian city of Saint Petersburg highlighted the importance of public space for wellbeing in cities.
The conference explored promoting the implementation of the New Urban Agenda in Russia and the CIS region
“Public space as a place for dialogue: Promoting the implementation of the New Urban Agenda in Russia and the CIS region” was organised by the Ministry of Construction, Housing and Utilities of the Russian Federation, United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), the Government of Saint Petersburg, and the ITMO University, provided insights on urbanisation trends in Russia and the region.
Discussions provided an opportunity for other cities and regions in Russia and the CIS to engage in the discussion on sustainable urbanisation and public space. Deputy Minister of Construction, Housing and Utilities of the Russian Federation, Andrey Chibis, shared insights on current work of the Government on improving the urban environment countrywide.
During the discussion, Executive Director of UN-Habitat, Dr Joan Clos, shared his views on the prerequisites of sustainable urbanisation, while Vladimir Grigoryev, Chief Architect of Saint-Petersburg, provided an insight on how Saint Petersburg manages its public spaces, and how the city mobilises funds for such work.
After the plenary discussion, work in sections continued. The National Urban Policy for Urban Renewal section addressed what constitutes a national urban policy and affirmed the relevance of many of such policies’ components in Russia and the CIS region. Participants in the section on the Role of Public Spaces in Urban Renewal learned about the UN-Habitat Global Public Space Programme and contributed to the development of public space programme in the region. The section on the Planning for Urban Renewal discussed advanced urban planning approaches.
UN-Habitat signed Memorandum of Understanding with the CIS Inter-Governmental Council for Cooperation in Construction Activities in 2012, and stated that would continue to work jointly with Russian and other Governments in the region through its office in Moscow, on implementing the New Urban Agenda, and improving the quality of life in cities.
Endangered elephants are now being slaughtered in the Southeast Asian country of Myanmar for their skin, the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) has disclosed.
Poaching: Forest elephants are poached for their ivory and skin, and threatened with extinction
Described as a new kind of poaching for parts, the wildlife conservation organisation has expressed displeasure over the development, even as it seeks to address the situation.
Traditionally, elephants are killed by poachers for their tusks (or ivory). In fact, despite a ban on the international trade in ivory, elephants are still being poached in large numbers.
But poaching elephants for their skin seems to be gaining prominence and a worried WWF has set a deadline of Friday, June 30, 2017 to take action.
“As a WWF Global Ambassador, I’m committed to and passionate about doing all I can to help ensure that endangered species, like elephants, survive. I was deeply disturbed to learn about a new poaching trend of killing elephants for their skins,” says Jared Leto, the WWF Global Ambassador.
“There are fewer than 50,000 Asian elephants left in the wild, and fewer than 2,000 in Myanmar. Already facing many threats to their survival, they are now being confronted by this horrifying new threat. And poachers don’t discriminate – whole families, including mothers and calves, are targeted.”
According to him, elephant poaching rates since January have already surpassed the annual average for Myanmar, a development he describes as “a crisis”.
He adds: “Most of the poaching is happening in two areas: Bago Yoma and Ayeyarwady Delta, where poachers can gain easy access. At this rate, wild Asian elephants could vanish from these areas in just one or two years.”
He however discloses that the organisation intends to urgently address the development, and that the WWF has set a target of June 30 to raise about $230,000 to execute its plan.
His words: “The WWF has an emergency action plan to stop the poaching. We will train, equip and deploy 10 anti-poaching teams to the most vulnerable areas, and implement a thorough plan to stop the slaughter.
“Right now, there are no anti-poaching patrols in the Bago Yoma and Ayeyarwady Delta regions. We must act immediately to ensure the survival of wild elephants. If we don’t act now, wild elephants could disappear from two key areas in a year or two,” adds Leto.
